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All aboard the Hawkeye Express Every home game, more than 5,000 fans find their way to Kinnick Stadium by rail. BY DAVID HARMANTAS | david-harmantas@uiowa.edu
David Harmantas/The Daily Iowan Fans walk up the steps to Kinnick Stadium after alighting from the Hawkeye Express before the football game against Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 3, 2016. “It’s coming. It’s coming,” squealed a toddler as she clapped her hands. Within a few seconds, with the hiss of air being released from its brakes, the Hawkeye Express slid to a stop next to the young girl — a six-car commuter train, ready to take on passengers. While a common sight to daily commuters in Chicago or San Francisco, this particular stretch of track has not seen regular passenger service in decades, nor is commuter rail service even necessary in this area for 357 days of the year. However, within a few minutes of stopping, several hundred passengers had boarded the train and with a blast of its horn, the train reversed direction and left Coralville for Kinnick Stadium. “We were running out of parking space,” retired Assistant Athletics Director Mark Jennings said. When the Hawkeye Express
was first conceived in 2003 after the end of the football season, game-day ticket revenue was approximately one-third of the Athletics Department’s revenue — a larger component than it is today — and with increasing congestion around the stadium on game day, there was concern that attendance would suffer. The Athletics Department considered shuttling fans, but with an active rail line right next to the stadium, Jennings thought that might be a viable way of getting fans to and from the game. He knew that the old Rock Island Railroad — which went bankrupt in 1979 and has long since disappeared — had run its trains to Kinnick. But that had been decades ago. So, he asked, where can one get a train today? Jennings pitched his idea to Mark Sabin, an old friend of his from high school and the senior vice president of the Iowa North-
ern Railway. Sabin mentioned it to his brother Dan — the president of the railroad. Within days, Dan Sabin called Jennings and told him, “I’ve got the Ski Train.” And with that, the Hawkeye Express was born. Now in its 15th year, the Hawkeye Express has become a popular way to get fans to and from Kinnick Stadium, transporting approximately 5,500 fans every home game. After parking and tailgating in the empty lots around James Street and 25th Avenue in Coralville, fans walk a few hundred feet to the parking lot of the Coralville IHOP. There they find a Hawkeye Express ticket stand set up behind the restaurant, where volunteers sell the — literally golden — ticket that will transport them both, to and from the stadium. After walking around the building they find another tent where tickets are collected and volunteers control the flow SEE EXPRESS, 5
INSIDE The Daily Iowan
PREGAME SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10 IOWA VS. NORTHWESTERN KINNICK STADIUM
Confidence COLTEN RASTETTER DIDN’T CHANGE ANYTHING PHYSICALLY ABOUT THE WAY HE KICKS; A NEWFOUND MENTALITY IS WHY HE’S ERASED A FORGETTABLE 2017 SEASON.
Kid Captain fights Angelman syndrome Kid Captain for Iowa’s football game against Northwestern is Mason Gonzalez, a 7-year-old from Jesup, Iowa.
Rastetter brings fresh mindset to Kinnick field
Hawkeye punter Colten Rastetter wanted to erase a dreadful 2017 season, but he didn’t make any physical changes to his game. Instead, he worked with a sports psychologist to bring a whole new mentality to kicking, and it’s paid off. PREGAME
The state Board of Regents will discuss plans for its multiyear tuition model, which will lay out a range of tuition increases for around five years at the Nov. 15 meeting.
IC says no one is ‘above the law’ after Sessions’ ‘resignation’
BY MARISSA PAYNE
marissa-payne@uiowa.edu
Protesters gathered Thursday to oppose President Trump’s recent move to shake up the Justice Department, sending the message that “nobody’s above the law.” Trump asked former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign Wednesday, which some believe to be a precursor to the dismissal of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. NEWS, 2
Tune in for LIVE updates Watch for campus and city news, weather, and Hawkeye sports coverage every day at 8:30 a.m. at dailyiowan.com.
Regents seek ‘holistic approach’ to funding
Captain for Iowa’s football game against Northwestern on Saturday. He has Angelman syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder that affects the nervous system and is characterized by frequent laughter and an ex-
Following calls for more predictable tuition increases in light of continued state funding cuts, followed by tuition hikes, the state Board of Regents will discuss on Nov. 15 the multiyear tuition model that has been in the works for the three public universities it governs. The regents are slated to hear a report on tuition and resources on the first day of their Nov. 15-16 meeting on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Regent spokesman Josh Lehman said the multiyear tuition model will be discussed at that time. At their September meeting, the regents announced they would provide Richards more details of the plan in November. Their aim is to take a “holistic approach” to funding the regent universities, involving “state appropriations, tuition revenue, and internal reallocations from efficiencies gained and realized savings,” according to regents’ documents. Regent President Mike Richards has previously said
SEE CAPTAIN, 2
SEE REGENTS, 2
Katina Zentz/The Daily Iowan Kid Captain Mason Gonzalez smiles while playing with other kids during Iowa Football Kids Day at Kinnick on Aug. 11. The 2018 Kid Captains met the Iowa football team and participated in a behind-the-scenes tour of Kinnick Stadium.
BY AADIT TAMBE
aadit-tambe@uiowa.edu Seven-year-old Mason Gonzalez has his own way of communicating and telling his “mom and dad he loves them.” Mason, a native of Jesup, Iowa, will be the Kid
2 NEWS
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Katina Zentz/The Daily Iowan (From left) Asiya Mohammed and Kathir Pandian, members of the South Asian Student Alliance, stare at a computer on Thursday. “We’re trying to plan out everything for Diwali,” Mohammed said. “It’s a celebration for the Festival of Lights.”
CAPTAIN CONTINUED FROM FRONT citable personality. It also causes balance problems and inability to speak. Mason’s speech generating device looks like a small tablet. He presses keys on it to communicate his thoughts. “When my wife told me that we were expecting a second child, it never crossed my mind that I should think that I hope he is healthy,” father Jesus Gonzalez said. “It is sad how we take his health for granted. A lot parents keep saying that their children
REGENTS CONTINUED FROM FRONT the plan will likely lay out a baseline range of tuition increases for the next five years or so, with a focus on resident undergraduate tuition rates. Once completed the plan will start in the 2019-20 academic year. A first reading of the proposal for that year’s tuition increases will occur during the 2019 calendar year. The documents currently do not outline specific details of the plan but note the dwindling state funding and rise in tuition that has occurred all while enrollment has spiked at Iowa’s regent universities, meaning there are fewer resources to spread among more students. In September, the regents approved their fiscal 2020 appropriations request, which totals nearly $630 million —
talk a lot. I would do anything for my son to express his feelings.” When Mason was around 6 months old, parents Jesus and Amy Gonzalez started noticing he could not sit up straight on his own. When Mason was around 1, he had a seizure that lasted for approximately 10 minutes. Neurologists at the hospital were stumped by Mason’s case. “On our first trip down there, he was acting kind of moody and grumpy; he had missed his nap,” Amy said. “He wasn’t acting his happy, normal self.” The doctors diagnosed him with global developmental delay. The cause is still unknown.
Mason’s parents scheduled an appointment with a pediatric neurologist about a month later, and on their way to Iowa City, Mason was himself. “When the neurologist walked in, he would just bust and belly laugh for no reason,” she said. “He was just really happy that day. When she asked us if he’s always like this, we said yes, he is always like this. He is always happy all the time.” Mason’s neurologist looked at his palm. It dawned upon her that the laughter was a symptom of Angelman syndrome. “There is no permanent cure to Angelman syndrome,” Amy said. “There are gene therapies
going on right now, and there is real hope, but until one is found, he will just have to deal with it.” Mason undergoes regular therapy, which is done locally, she said. He is seen by a neurologist at the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital once a week. Abby Waldschmitt, Mason’s speech pathologist, works with him on an ongoing basis. “He’s a sweet little boy who communicates with a speech-generating device,” she said. “He has been able to find his voice to tell us what he wants and needs. And he even tells mom and dad he loves them.” Mason goes to school regularly and enjoys it, Amy said. He
$499 million of which would go toward the universities’ general funds. The request included a $20 million increase that would be dedicated to supporting financial aid for resident undergraduates. Of that amount, the regents are asking for $7 million each to be allocated to the University of Iowa and Iowa State University and $4 million to go to the University of Northern Iowa. “Every year is different, and we think our request is reasonable, and we work with the universities, and we’ve been working with the Legislature for more than 100 years,” Richards previously said. “There’s always a little give-and-take, but we feel our requests are within the range of what we expect.” In the last legislative session, the state Legislature passed $10.9 million in fiscal 2018 budget cuts to the UI and
ISU, keeping UNI’s budget intact. By the session’s end, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed off on a bill that provided for a funding increase in fiscal 2019 of $8.3 million, leaving $2.6 million unrestored. The UI seeks to generate $31 million in additional resources per year to “create better outcomes through the implementation of the strategic plan,” according to regents’ documents, and the school is committed to finding $10.9 million of those resources through realignment, savings, and other activities. That leaves a funding gap of $20.1 million, $7 million of which the regents have asked to be filled with the fiscal 2020 appropriations request. “Of the remaining $13.1 million, the university will work with the Board of Regents to determine tuition increases that are sustainable and predictable to ensure the student experience is valuable and the
value of a University of Iowa degree is enhanced,” the documents stated. UI President Bruce Harreld has advocated for hiking tuition rate increases to help the university reach the median of its peer group and better fund its priorities. The documents show the UI’s 2018-19 rates rank the second lowest of its 10-university peer group. University officials have often called for more resources to lead to better outcomes, such as improved graduation and retention rates for students. The UI has fallen seven spots in US News & World Report rankings since last year; it is now No. 38 among the country’s best colleges. “The US News rankings are a stark illustration of what happens when there’s not enough investment by the state in higher education, which will necessitate additional investments by
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loves riding horses, an interest he developed as part of his therapy. “It strengthens his core, because he needs to use his muscles to balance on a horse,” she said. “It has really helped him gain strength.” Mason was later granted a
Protesters took to the Pentacrest Thursday to stand against the President Trump’s recent moves to shake up the Justice Department, gathering to send the message that “nobody’s above the law.” The protest on the University of Iowa campus comes after Trump forced Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign on Wednesday. Rally attendees said they interpreted the firing to be a precursor to the dismissal of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible coordination between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. MoveOn, a progressive group that advocates for social justice and political progress, organized the event. Former University of Iowa football player and Ankeny native Matthew Whitaker was appointed as the acting U.S. attorney general following Sessions’ leaving. Whitaker, a longtime Republican, formerly worked in the Justice Department under President George W. Bush.
Organizers led protesters in a number of chants from the steps of the Old Capitol. Chants included “Wake up Congress, do your job,” “Conclusion? Collusion,” and “Protect our Journalists.” Protesters hoisted signs with slogans such as “Not my President,” “Law & Order USA,” and “Protect Mueller.” UI student Emily Legel handed out poster board and permanent markers to fellow protesters so that they could make their own signs. “A friend of mine helped organize it, and I decided to show up because I support protecting our democracy,” Legel said. Despite the opposition from some Iowa City community members, Iowa’s Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst iterated their gratitude for Sessions’ service and support for Whitaker’s appointment in statements released Thursday. Grassley said Whitaker is an Iowan he’s known for many years who will “work hard and make us proud.” The Justice Department is “in good hands” during the transition, Grassley contended.
Ernst said, “Fellow Iowan Matt Whitaker is a man of integrity and values. As acting attorney General, Matt Whitaker is a steady hand that will provide good leadership and judgment and will ensure that the United States Department of Justice upholds the highest standards of the rule of law.” A small number of counterprotesters also attended the Pentacrest rally. Counterprotester Devin Lynch held a sign that read “JOBS NOT MOBS. What are you protesting?” and said he was there to add levity to the situation. “I’m with a couple groups on campus that just told us this was going on, so we decided to come out and make some signs, try to add a little bit of humor,” he said. Lynch also noted that he, like many of the protesters, opposed Sessions’ initial appointment. “I absolutely don’t support Jeff Sessions. I think that was kind of the consensus among people on the left, too,” Lynch said. “Now that he’s being replaced by somebody who could be better, who was a former Hawkeye, who played football here, who’s only been here for a day, we don’t know how
he’ll do, and they’re already protesting a new person. They’re saying that he’ll in-
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wish from Make-a-Wish; he chose to swim with dolphins in Hawaii. “It was a wonderful experience to be all together as a family and not have to worry about appointments and therapy, and that’s a memory we will have forever,” Amy said.
ILLINOIS: $16,004 MICHIGAN: $15,262 MINNESOTA: $14,693 CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES: $13,201 ARIZONA: $12,467 OHIO STATE: $10,726 INDIANA: $10,680 TEXAS: $10,606 WISCONSIN: $10,556 IOWA: $9,267 NORTH CAROLINA: $8,987 * Average excluding UI: $12,318 students and their families,” Harreld previously said in a statement to the DI. “Continuing the generational disinvestment will result in further reductions in outcomes for students and the university.”
Protesters gathered on the steps of the Pentacrest on Wednesday evening in the aftermath of Jeff Sessions’ removal as attorney general to say “nobody’s above the law.” katherine-pixley@uiowa.edu
Arts Editor Naomi Hofferber
RESIDENT UNDERGRAD TUITION & FEES PEER COMPARISON
Protests fire up in wake of Sessions firing BY KATE PIXLEY
Volume 150 Issue 59
evitably be worse than Jeff Sessions, but how could they possibly know that?”
Source: State Board of Regents
THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018
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Opinions THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILY-IOWAN.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018
COLUMN
Birthright citizenship is here to stay President Trump is attempting to change the immigration process again, but won’t be able to without Congress by his side. The words that the president would like to clarify, “subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” are contested because technically if you are here illegally you aren’t, to some degree, under the jurisdiction of the United States, because your allegiance would be to your place of origin. Some scholars hold the view that partial jurisdiction of the United States qualifies for this statement, while others require that full jurisdiction is necessary, which would mean no allegiance to any other foreign power. Traditionally, the United States has always granted citizenship to children born here with parents who are not citizens based on a Supreme Court case from 1898, but even that case did not mention parents who were here illegally, as “illegal” immigration didn’t exist. Yet, citizenship is still given to children with parents who are undocumented because that’s what the 14th Amendment calls for. Most constitutional scholars believe that to even clar-
MICHELLE KUMAR
michelle-kumar@uiowa.edu It seems as if we can’t go a day without hearing the president talk about immigration, and this time he’s going after birthright citizenship … again. Earlier this year, Trump proposed ending the practice all together, but that would’ve required a constitutional admendment. This time around, he believes he could clarify what the 14th Amendment means when it says, “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” This change would target children who were born in the U.S. but whose parents weren’t here legally. However, even with this distinction, President Trump still won’t be able to get the job done with an executive order.
ify that statement, someone would need a constitutional amendment, not a bill by Congress. If that’s the case, then the president’s dream of clarification is dead in the water. Trump will never get the two-thirds majority in the House and the Senate and the three-fourths ratification by the states that is needed to pass a constitutional amendment. Now that the midterms are over and Democrats have a majority in the House (come January), the president is going to have a hard time getting this passed through the usual channels anyway. If he leaves it to Congress to create a bill, it will never pass both the Senate and the House. If Trump does it himself with an executive order, a court could strike it down. Despite the House majority, many Republicans interpret the Constitution literally and would not be on board with an executive order clarifying the 14th Amendment. If this issue made it to the Supreme Court, however, things could get a little dic-
Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS President Donald Trump delivers remarks on illegal immigration and border security on Nov. 1. ey since Justice Brett Kava- ally happen. In Trump’s ide- fect similar nationalist rhetnaugh’s confirmation. A lot al world, if this clarification oric about immigration has. of this is just seeing how it were to somehow occur, the Revoking birthright citiplays out and if the president aftermath would be tragic. zenship, retroactively or in decides to through with it. Countries that have tried to the future, will create a mass As with most of the presi- do this have created mass group of stateless people, and dent’s immigration policies, humanitarian crises. The the United States is not ready the action required is too Dominican Republic is an to handle that. Luckily, this extreme for anything to re- example of the disastrous ef- order would never hold up.
COLUMN
Looking at the Nintendo Switch for Christmas? The Nintendo Switch is a unique console, the like of which the gaming world hasn’t seen, at least in a while. me) and write down what they want for Christmas. Then, most people probably open up their laptops and look up their desired items, see how much they cost, close their laptops, and cry. Just me? All right, that’s fine. Regardless, Christmas can be a really expensive holiday, and if you or your kids are anything like I am, they want that newfangled technology, all the games, anything that costs significantly more than $100 (sorry, mom and dad). One of the things that might be on the list this Christmas may be a Nintendo Switch. Now, you may be asking: What the heck is that? Why should I buy it? Well, I think I might be
COLLEN MAHONEY
collen-mahoney@uiowa.edu The notorious Black Friday, the beast of all sales days, is fast approaching. And I’m sure you all know, with all of the Christmas music (and the freezing cold), Christmas, too, shall follow not long after. So, most people sit down with their kids (or by themselves, like
able to answer some of those questions. First of all, kudos to you or your kids for having good taste in gaming. History has shown that Nintendo tends to offer a large variety of kid- and family-friendly games in its library, and it also has more mature options for any audiences that choose to purchase the Switch. With games that have reinvented Nintendo classics, such as Super Mario Odyssey, featuring the Nintendo icon Mario, or the upcoming Pokemon, Let’s Go, Eevee/Pikachu, which revamps the original Pokemon games, the library is hitting it off with younger and older audiences. Second, the Nintendo Switch is one of the unique consoles on
the market today. When asked about whether a Best Buy employee thought the Nintendo Switch was a good console, the employee said, “Absolutely. It’s incredibly versatile, and that’s what really sets it apart. “That it allows you to go from playing it handheld to seamlessly making it a standalone console (which means you can play it on the TV), it’s really revolutionary.” As the employee said, the console allows you to play console-level games portably. This means that gone are the days of having to fight between having the Wii or football on TV (I should have won that argument, dad, because now those Wii-level graphics are right in your hands.
Now, the hefty part. The Nintendo Switch prices at $299. Interestingly enough, though, it is quite comparable with older devices on the market. For reference, the PS4, a console released in 2013, also costs $299, despite its being four years older than the Switch. Regardless, hopes are that on Black Friday, we could see a slight decrease. Of course, we won’t be sure until the day gets closer. The other thing that can make it difficult is that games for the Switch are so expensive. In comparison, though, $59.99 is actually standard pricing for console games. I purchased a Switch for myself over the summer, and a few months ago, I bought MarioKart 8 De-
luxe (it’s really fun, highly recommend), and it was $59.99. Ouch. But I do have to say, I have felt as though it was money well-spent. The times that I have enjoyed playing that game, be it just my roommate and me or a whole group of friends playing it at once, it has been incredibly enjoyable. The value of the time I spent with friends far outweighed the cost. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is, if the Switch makes the list this year, give it a good, hard look. Yes, it is expensive. There is no denying that. But it’s a wonderful console with family-friendly options in its growing library, and I really think you should give it a chance.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Closing frat tailgates: What’s your take? Nine fraternities were suspended pending investigations of alcohol-event violations, ending tailgating for fraternities. Tailgating is a huge part of the Big Ten college-football culture, and greek life takes a part in the pregame celebrations before the Hawkeyes rush the field. Five students respond to the suspension, answering how they feel about frat suspensions and the end of such tailgating at UI.
BEN HEIRIGS
KATIE KNOX
KELSEY VANDENBERG
ERIK BEISKER
ALY MALONEY
“Personally, I think that it’s not fair to those guys in the frats who want to be a part of that and not being able to engage in networking. However, I do understand the university not wanting to sponsor or allow them to continue drinking and the problems that come with it.”
“I don’t really care. It doesn’t affect me, but I think it’s unfair that the fraternities can’t have tailgates, because they’re not the only ones that engage in drinking [near] campus.”
“I’ve seen kids have a lot of problems with alcohol, and so I’m glad the university is cracking down on that. But, I’m not super-thrilled about the fact [the frats] can’t hold tailgates anymore, because I think tailgates are a really good way for students to relax, hang out with other students, and socially connect without having to worry about all the pressures of the academic world.”
“I don’t really care about the frats. I don’t personally like frats or sororities. So, I just don’t really care. I feel like frats don’t make the best choices anyway, and it’s bound to happen. So, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. I don’t really care.”
“I don’t really know much about it. All I know is that they can’t hold tailgates. It kind of sucks because that’s a huge thing with the football games, and it brings about the culture. Football is a big thing here, and tailgating is fun to take that away sucks.”
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UI senior
STAFF GAGE MISKIMEN Editor-in-Chief LUCEE LAURSEN Opinions Editor Isabella Rosario, Marina Jaimes, Elijah Helton, Michelle Kumar, Nichole Shaw, Taylor Newby, Zach Weigel, Caroline Woods, Braxton Leonard, Anna Banerjee, Collen Mahoney, Zohar Nadler Columnists EDITORIALS reflect the majority opinion of the DI Editorial Board and not the opinion of the Publisher, Student Publications Inc., or the University of Iowa. OPINIONS, COMMENTARIES, COLUMNS, and EDITORIAL CARTOONS reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.
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NEWS 5
THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018
Photos by David Harmantas/The Daily Iowan Passengers record the arrival of the Hawkeye Express in Coralville on Sept. 22.
EXPRESS CONTINUED FROM FRONT
ence,” Linzmeyer said. While conceding that convenience played into the decision to take the train — their hotel was in Coralville — he also said he and his friends were in the process of visiting every Big Ten football stadium, and they considered riding the Hawkeye Express as a necessary part of visiting Kinnick. Kelly Kinney’s two sons, Ellis (2) and Everett (7), would agree that the Hawkeye Express is
the Hawkeye Express began to slow and a voice cut in over the radio broadcast announcing the train’s pending arrival of passengers up a gravel ramp at Kinnick. As the train pulled to a cleared area next to the into the makeshift station to railroad right of way. Within west of the stadium, it slowed a few minutes of waiting, the to a crawl in order to ensure train pulls into the makeshift that the passenger car doors station, ready to take on paswere precisely aligned with sengers with Kinnick Stadium the steps at the station. With as the next stop. a gentle lurch, the Hawkeye While it was originally inExpress came to a stop and the tended to alleviate congestion doors slid open. Passengers around the stamade their way dium, Assistant down to anAthletics Direcother gravel tor Matthew walkway that Henderson led to a large said, the Hawkstaircase that ‘We never started this as a way to make eye Express would take has led to the them to the money. It was strictly a service for the fans.’ development of Kinnick park— Mark Jennings, retired assistant athletics director a separate tailing lots where gating culture beyond, the in Coralville stadium and and has even attracted passen- a necessary part of visiting a September evening football gers who ride the train not to Kinnick — even though they game were waiting. get to the game but solely for weren’t going to the game. But what happened to the the experience itself. “They’re crazy about trains,” ski train? While now operUnder a cloudless late Kinney said. As the boys jos- ated by Amtrak, in 2006, the afternoon sky before the tled with each other to see who Ski Train was a privately opWisconsin game on Sept. could get the better view out erated train between Denver 22, fans in Coralville largely of the window, she said she’ll and Winter Park, Colorado, echoed the perspective from occasionally bring the boys on that shuttled skiers between the offices in Carver-Hawk- the Hawkeye Express just for the city and the mountains eye. Katy Snider of Overland the fun of the ride. during ski season. Because Park, Kansas, was riding the As the Kinney boys gazed ski season starts after football Hawkeye Express for a sec- out the window at the Iowa season, the train otherwise ond time, explaining that countryside whirring by, oth- sat idle, and the Iowa Northwhile she’d previously parked er fans on the train relaxed in ern was able to use it for the closer to the stadium, the their seats and chatted with football season. convenience of avoiding sta- friends or scrolled through Use of the Ski Train would be dium traffic and quickly get- their cellphones as an Iowa short-lived, however. Moving ting back onto the road for football pregame radio broad- the train between Colorado and the drive back to Kansas was cast crackled through the Coralville was expensive, time too appealing to pass up. cars’ intercom speakers. The consuming, and a low priority Visiting fans seemed ea- late afternoon sun streamed for the railroads over whose ger to take the train as well. through the tinted windows tracks the ski train needed to Chad Linzmeyer and his of cars casting heavy shad- traverse. And with the end of friends, decked out in cardi- ows across the faces of pas- the football season coinciding nal-and-white Badger gear, sengers and causing some to with the start of the ski season, queued up for the train among move to the other side of the getting the train back to Dena sea of black and gold. car to avoid the glare. With- ver in time proved impractical. “We really just see this as in a mere eight minutes after Finally, after the ski train was part of the game-day experi- gliding away from Coralville, forced to sit in Omaha for four
days in 2006 during its transit back to Colorado, a new solution was needed. To solve this, Sabin and the Iowa Northern looked east instead of west. METRA, the Chicago-area commuter-rail system was in the process of upgrading its commuter railcar fleet, and the Iowa Northern purchased six commuter cars from METRA. The cars were old, having served in the Chicago area for decades but were still mechanically sound — though keeping the aged heating and air-conditioning systems operational have proved to be a constant challenge to the mechanics of the Iowa Northern. The cars were transported to Oelwein, Iowa, where they were repainted with Iowa colors and then moved onto the Iowa Northern’s yard in Waterloo, where they have formed the basis for the Hawkeye Express ever since. For engines, the Iowa Northern uses the same diesel-electric engines as METRA, with one of them painted in the colors of the old Rock Island Railroad as an homage. Other than an occasional run as a Christmas train, the Hawkeye Express spends the rest of its time idle in Waterloo. Financially, the train has been something of a success as well, or at least revenue neutral. “We never started this as a way to make money. It was strictly a service for the fans,” Jennings said. While the cost to ride has increased over the years to $15, ticket sales have been sufficient, however, to cover the costs of operation, insurance, and leasing the track. One challenge the Hawkeye Express faces is that while the equipment is owned by the Iowa Northern Railroad, the track it runs on is owned by
Fans spill out of the Hawkeye Express after its arrival at Kinnick Stadium before the football game agasint Wisconsin on Sept. 22.
Volunteer car attendant Scott Evans watches the landscape roll by as fans ride the Hawkeye Express on Sept. 22.
A young girl points as the Hawkeye Express arrives in Coralville on Sept. 22. the Iowa Interstate Railroad. Because the Iowa Interstate’s line is single track, for the Hawkeye Express to run, the Iowa Interstate has to shut down its line. While the Hawkeye Express has lasted for 15 years, its future is somewhat cloudy. Henderson said Coralville was largely undeveloped when the train began its service. As once vacant lots along Second Street have filled in, there’s some concern about what happens when the main lots used for parking are sold for development. “IHOP has been good to us,”
Jennings said, but he wondered whether every new developer in Coralville would feel the same. Henderson said there are no active plans to consider moving the Coralville stop, although he said the development situation is something officials continue to keep their eyes on. However, for a transit solution that was born out of a combination of necessity and childhood friendships, Jennings’ description of how the Hawkeye Express came about perhaps also points toward its future: “Let’s just give it a shot and see what happens.”
6 NEWS
THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018
Election to fill Friese’s supervisor seat A special election will determine who fills the vacancy on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. BY JORDAN PROCHNOW
jordan-prochnow@uiowa.edu A Johnson County committee voted Thursday, 2-1, to hold a special election on Dec. 18 to fill the vacancy left on the supervisors after death of Supervisor Kurt Friese. County Treasurer Tom Kriz voted against holding the special election. Friese died on Oct. 26. His
supervisor position was not up for grabs in Tuesday’s midterm election; Iowa Code prevents special elections from being held on the three Tuesdays before or after primary and general elections. Supervisor Janelle Rettig and Pat Heiden secured supervisor seats in Tuesday’s election. Incumbent Rettig garnered 62 percent of
votes, and Heiden received 57 percent. They also received the most votes during the Democratic primary in June. At press time, officials did not know how much the special election will cost or when the person who is elected will assume the seat. That person will fill the remainder of Friese’s term, which was set to end in 2020.
UI taps Darsee for innovation post Following the UI’s decision to refocus the Office of the Vice President for Research, the university has appointed an alum to become the chief innovation officer. BY JORDAN PROCHNOW
jordan-prochnow@uiowa.edu The University of Iowa has appointed a chief innovation officer who will lead Innovation and Economic Development, focusing on researching commercialization and economic-development activities, following the administration’s decision to refocus the Vice President for Research Office. UI alumnus Jon Darsee was appointed on Oct. 19 after a nationwide search following the departure of Darsee Daniel Reed in October 2017, the university announced Thursday. His annual salary will be $238,500. In the role of chief innovation officer, Darsee will lead Innovation and Economic Development at the UI, which encompasses UI Ventures, Protostudios, the UI Research Park, the Office of Corporate Engagement, and MADE. After Reed’s departure, the UI decided to restructure the Research and Economic De-
velopment Office; the office’s realignment has caused it to focus on achievements in research, scholarship, and creative ventures. The university decided to emphasize the importance of finding new ways to support innovation in academic and federal areas. “Economic development is a natural outgrowth of
worked for iRhythym Technologies, which develops biosensing technologies and analytics to diagnose heart arrhythmia. He retired from the company in 2017. The search for the next vice president for Research is ongoing. Graduate College Dean John Keller is filling the role on an interim basis.
‘This realignment will allow us to better utilize the expansive technology and innovation capabilities that have been built up in recent years to move the university’s research from ideas to impact’ — Bruce Harreld, UI president research but requires different tools and skills,” UI President Bruce Harreld said in a statement. “This realignment will allow us to better utilize the expansive technology and innovation capabilities that have been built up in recent years to move the university’s research from ideas to impact.” Darsee most recently
“As always, we’ll continue to help investigators secure meaningful funding, provide safe and well-resourced spaces to work, and look for ways to expand opportunities for faculty and staff across disciplines to innovate and collaborate on ‘big idea’ research and scholarship,” Keller said in the announcement.
THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018
FOOTBALL CONTINUED FROM 8 valry game, Iowa also gets a chance to play spoiler for Northwestern. The Wildcats sit atop the Big Ten West with just one conference loss. Two teams, Wisconsin and Purdue, sit behind Northwestern in the standings with two losses.
FIELD HOCKEY CONTINUED FROM 8 ity to play great individual defense, because Wake Forest’s huge threat is their penalty corner,” head coach Lisa Cellucci said. “Our individual defense is going to be key and then our ability to possess so that we can stay on attack.” This will be Iowa’s first NCAA tourney under Cellucci, its 23rd trip overall,
BASKETBALL CONTINUED FROM 8 Eventually, the Hawkeyes found their groove and shot at a 59 percent clip in the second. They ended the game shooting 45 percent. When the Carver dust settled, the Hawkeyes had Wieskamp (15), Jordan Bohan-
SPORTS 7
Northwestern has tiebreakers over both teams trailing it, but a loss Saturday would put Northwestern in danger of losing its top spot. Sure, playing spoiler is not as good as playing in the Big Ten title game, but it’s something, and those somethings have the Hawkeyes going full throttle. “People are out there practicing with the same
energy as before,” Keegan Render said. “There are still three games left. Our leaders have done a good job in getting everybody focused on the task and not sulking in what could have happened.” There’s no question Northwestern will be a tough opponent for the Hawkeyes this weekend. The Wildcats have won their last two games
against the Hawkeyes and have proved to be a tough opponent to some major Big Ten opponents. What is perhaps the toughest challenge about Northwestern is the way it wins games; the Wildcats don’t do it by putting up gaudy numbers. Instead, they simply find a way to score more points than their opponent, no matter how ugly it looks.
“If you look at statistically, they’re not going to be top 10,” Ferentz said. “But they’ve found a way to win, and that’s what good teams do.” Even though it hasn’t looked the part the past few weeks, Iowa is a good team, too, which is why it’s still heavily favored in this matchup. Which is why this is a game for the Hawkeyes to
reaffirm that they do in fact boast one of the better teams in the Big Ten, and maybe, if they play well enough in their final three games, they can prove to be worthy of a big-time bowl. “Obviously, we’ve taken some losses and had some tough games,” Noah Fant said. “The best thing we can do is be 3-0 from here on out. That’s what we can control.”
and its first appearance since 2012. “To know that we were in at-large bid — we’re actually the fifth overall seed in the tournament, our team was really psyched,” Cellucci said. “We were psyched about the draw, just knowing we’ve played Wake Forest before. They’re better now, but so are we. It’s been awhile since we’ve been in the Sweet 16, and I couldn’t be happier for the team.” Wake Forest has gone 3-4
against top-25 opponents this season and has an overall record of 11-9. The Deacons played their way into their conference’s championship match, only to fall to No. 1 North Carolina, 7-2. The Hawkeyes have won seven of the last eight matches against the Deacons. The last time Iowa and Wake Forest met was in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the Hawkeyes’ season-opener. With goals from junior Katie Birch and sophomore Maddy Murphy,
Iowa was victorious, 2-1. “I think we just collectively all got better individually, our individual D, our attack, we’re passing the ball a lot quicker,” Birch said. “We’re working harder for one another. We’ve come leaps and bounds in how we’ve progressed in the press and on the outlook. Overall, the team has come milestones from where we were.” The Hawkeyes went into the Big Ten Tournament as the sixth seed but fought their way into the cham-
pionship match, upsetting Penn State and Michigan. This was the first time any sixth seed played into the final game. Iowa hopes to apply the experience from the Big Ten Tournament to NCAAs. “We just need to tidy up in the goal circle,” Murphy said. “We had a lot of shots, but we were unfortunate not to score. I think we’re going to practice on taking the quick shots, working around the goalkeeper, things like that, and hopefully put them
away this weekend.” The winner of today’s game will play either No. 4 Duke or No. 24 Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 11 at 1:30 p.m. “I’m excited,” Birch said. “I love playing Wake. They’re always a challenge — any NCAA team is. I think it’s just going to be an awesome opportunity, and hopefully, we can repeat what we did in the beginning and get another win, but it’s going to be a battle, so we’re just going to be prepared for anything.”
non (12), Tyler Cook (12), and Maishe Dailey (11) in double figures. The second unit, led by Dailey offensively and defensively, stepped up when the first group couldn’t get much going. “We don’t really consider ourselves as a second five,” Dailey said. “We feel like when the bench comes in, there’s no drop-off from the starters, so
we go in there with an attack mindset.” By the end of the night, turnovers were the only problem, and despite finishing with 16 of them, the effort ended up being a solid game for Iowa offensively. “There was a stretch where we were playing with no swag at all,” McCaffery said. “We’ve got to attack, we’ve got to move it, we’ve got to play like we’re sup-
posed to win the game. That’s when everything changed.” Iowa’s defense — the team’s biggest weakness last season — demonstrated improvement following a dreadful 2017-18 in which the Hawkeyes ranked last in the Big Ten in scoring defense by a significant margin. Iowa held Missouri-KC to just 63 points on 36 percent shooting from the field.
It could have been better earlier in the game — the Hawkeyes got burned by speedy Kangaroos guard Xavier Bishop a few times — but Iowa found a way to put the clamps on as the game reached the later stages. KC is an actual Division-1 program, so it wasn’t as easy for the Hawkeyes as it was in their exhibition game against Guilford, but it was good
enough to put Iowa in the win column. “What I’m really proud of is, we talked about it all fall, all spring, all summer, and we came out, and our defense is what held us in the game today,” forward Ryan Kriener said. “We played pretty good defense [Thursday]. I think we held them to [36] percent shooting, and that’s pretty good stuff.”
Sports
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018 DAILYIOWAN.COM
HAWKEYE UPDATES Jason Baker takes on honorary captain duties Former Iowa punter Jason Baker will be the honorary captain when the Hawkeyes take on Northwestern at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Kinnick. Baker holds the program records for total punts (272) and punting yards (11,304), and he sits at fourth in Big Ten history in both categories. In his senior season, Baker earned All-Big Ten honorable mention and was Iowa’s special-team captain. Baker punted in the NFL for 12 seasons, suiting up for the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, and Carolina Panthers. Baker was a Pro Bowl alternate on numerous occasions and holds the Panthers franchise records for punts (570), punting yards (25,064), and punts in a playoff game (7).
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Nunge to redshirt 2018-19 season Iowa men’s basketball forward Jack Nunge will redshirt this season to focus on his game. BY ADAM HENSLEY
adam-hensley@uiowa.edu Fewer than two hours before the season officially tipped off for Hawkeye basketball, the program announced that sophomore forward Jack Nunge will redshirt the 2018-19 season. “After discussing with my family
and coaching staff, I have decided to redshirt this season,” Nunge said in a release. “This decision is not related to an injury, but rather, Nunge I would like to take the opportunity to use this year to grow my skillset and get stronger.
We have an incredibly deep team, and I look forward to helping make my teammates and myself better in practice this season.” Nunge averaged 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game last season. He scored a career-best 18 points against Ohio State — one of his seven games in which he scored at least 10 points.
With Nunge sitting out, the Hawkeyes will turn to an already full frontcourt. Iowa’s big men include Tyler Cook, Luka Garza, Ryan Kriener, Cordell Pemsl, and Nicholas Baer. Iowa opened the regular season with a 77-63 win in Carver-Hawkeye against Missouri-Kansas City on Thursday.
Hawkeyes set for tussle with ’Cats After a couple disappointing games, Iowa will try to get back on track against Northwestern.
Drkulec, Haus earn Academic All-District honors Iowa soccer juniors Hannah Drkulec and Kaleigh Haus were named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District 6 Team, the College Sports Drkulec Information Directors of America announced Thursday. Drkulec helped Iowa record 6 shutouts this season while starting all 18 games. A biomedical engineering major, she has a 4.11 grade point average. Haus ended the season second on the team with 4 goals and also recorded 1 assist. She also majors in biomedical engineering and boasts a 4.08 GPA. The Hawkeyes finished the season 8-7-3, with a 7-0-3 record at home.
Weekend Sports Schedule Football (Kinnick) • Saturday vs. Northwestern – 2:30 p.m. Cross-Country (Peoria, Ill.) • Today, NCAA Regionals – 11 a.m. Field Hockey (Durham, N.C.) • Today vs. Wake Forest, NCAAs 1:30 p.m. • Sunday, TBD Wrestling (Kent, Ohio) • Friday vs. California StateBakersfield – 4:30 p.m. • Friday vs. Kent State – 6 p.m. Women’s Basketball (CarverHawkeye) • Today vs. Oral Roberts – 7 p.m. Men’s Tennis (Austin) • Today-Nov. 11, Longhorn Invitational — all day Women’s Tennis (Las Vegas) • Today-Nov. 11, Rebel Tennis Women’s Invitational — all day Volleyball (East Lansing) • Saturday vs. Michigan State – 7 p.m. Swimming and Diving (West Lafayette) • Saturday-Nov. 11, ACC/Big Ten Challenge – 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. Men’s Basketball (CarverHawkeye) • Nov. 11 vs. Green Bay — 2 p.m.
Lily Smith/The Daily Iowan Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley prepares to pass against Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Nov. 3. The Boilermakers sent the Hawkeyes into Big Ten West limbo, 38-36.
BY JORDAN ZUNIGA
jordan-zuniga@uiowa.edu Disappointing. That is how Hawkeye fans might describe the last two weeks of football, and by extension, the season. While a 6-3 record is nothing to laugh at, it doesn’t live up to the expectations this team
had at the start of the season. Two-straight losses have all but eliminated the Hawkeyes from a Big Ten West title and hurt their chances at a New Year’s Six bowl game. However, two weekends of disappointment don’t end the season for Iowa; it still has three games left, and none of them bigger than this weekend’s game against Northwestern. “This game has really become a big rivalry
Iowa field hockey’s season continues
No. 7 Iowa earned an at-large bid to NCAA Tournament and will play No. 12 Wake Forest in the first round.
“If you can’t
get along with Joe Wieskamp, then you’re the problem.”
peter-ruden@uiowa.edu
The Hawkeyes were placed in No. 4 seed Duke’s bracket, and they will play No. 12 Wake Forest in the first round of the tournament at 1:30 p.m. today in Durham, North Carolina. “Wake Forest is a totally different team than Maryland, so what we’re focused on is our abil-
Iowa’s win over Missouri-Kansas City wasn’t the pretty victory many anticipated to start the season. At least in the first half. Despite only leading the Kangaroos by 8 and shooting just 32 percent in the first half, the Hawkeyes turned it on in the second half to secure a 77-63 season-opening win. Iowa’s offense — the strength of the team — didn’t show up Wieskamp as much as expected in the first half, and the game remained unexpectedly tight. No one got into a rhythm offensively in the first except for freshman Joe Wieskamp, who went 4-of-5 from 3-point range in the first half and scored 15 on the night. Those 3s accounted for half of Iowa’s field goals in the first half. The Hawkeyes took 17 shots from behind the arc and just 8 from 2-point range before halftime, much to the dismay of head coach Fran McCaffery. He said he believed Iowa had an advantage in the post. With around 16 minutes remaining in the second half, Iowa went on a 14-3 run, and that proved to be enough to down the Kangaroos.
SEE FIELD HOCKEY, 7
SEE BASKETBALL, 7
STAT OF THE DAY
sesason
Sluggish start, then Hawks turn on burners
BY PETE RUDEN
— Iowa men’s basketball head coach Fran McCaffery on Joe Wieskamp
400 points in a
SEE FOOTBALL, 7
Iowa’s defense — a key weakness last season — helped it pick up a win in the first game of the season.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Iowa point guard Jordan Bohannon is one of six players in Hawkeye history to record at least 400 points and 150 assists in a single season.
between us and Northwestern,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “It’s not a trophy game, but it really kind of feels like that. They’re an outstanding football team. Their guys play hard and they’re productive, very good football players.” Not only is this weekend’s game a sort of ri-
David Harmantas/The Daily Iowan Iowa midfielder Katie Birch searches for a teammate to pass to during the title game in the Big Ten Tournament in Evanston, Illinois, on Sunday. The No. 2 Terrapins defeated No. 7 Iowa, 2-1.
BY SARAH ALTEMEIER
sarah-altemeier@uiowa.edu After a heartbreaking loss to No. 2 Maryland in the Big Ten Championship on Sunday, the No. 7 Iowa field-hockey team didn’t have much time to sulk; it heard that evening it earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.